The recent NI Election result

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

Does anyone else see the potential for the break-up of the UK in the recent NI election results.

I personally do not think that the real threat of the break-up emanates from Scotland anymore.
There already exists the mechanisms in the Good Friday Agreement for a re-unification of NI and RoI, and the process for a referendum already exists:

(i) recognise the legitimacy of whatever choice is freely exercised by a majority of the people of Northern Ireland with regard to its status, whether they prefer to continue to support the Union with Great Britain or a sovereign united Ireland;
(ii) recognise that it is for the people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively and without external impediment, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish, accepting that this right must be achieved and exercised with and subject to the agreement and consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland;

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136652/agreement.pdf

Now the main Nationalist parties have more seats than the Unionists, and the tide is turning towards the Nationalist parties, away from the Unionist parties.

The DUP may have once more emerged on the top of the pile, but its share of the first preference vote has slipped for the third election in a row, now down to 28.1%. Sinn Féin’s, in contrast, has risen to its highest ever share, 27.9%. The gap between them across the whole of Northern Ireland is now fewer than 1,200 votes, and there is only a one seat difference between them in the slimlined 90-seat assembly. For the first time in Northern Ireland’s devolved politics, the two main nationalist parties (Sinn Féin and the more moderate SDLP) now have more seats than the two main unionist parties (the DUP and the UUP

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...assembly-election-a-warning-to-brexit-britain

Additionally, the turn out for the election was more than a turn out for the Brexit referendum, and one can assume that any Re-Unification referendum will be well representative.
Recent election turn out was "64.78% of registered voters turned out to vote in the 2017 Assembly election, " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election,_2017
Whereas the turn out for the Brexit referendum was "The turnout in Northern Ireland was 62.7% with 789,879 people voting in the referendum" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36614443

Perhaps the threat of a hard Brexit has influenced the recent vote and the turn out.

However any hard border potential between NI and RoI will have a major impact on any Re-Unification referendum.

Perhaps it was this political insight that prompted the John Major and Tony Blair's recent appearances.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

BTW, is there an anomaly that those born in NI can hold a UK passport and a EU (RoI) passport.
As a citizen of the UK, I would like that option too.

 

[JohnD]

BTW, is there an anomaly that those born in NI can hold a UK passport and a EU (RoI) passport.
As a citizen of the UK, I would like that option too.

You can get Irish citizenship if your granny was born on the island, or at least went for a day trip.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...izenship_through_birth_or_descent.html#l091af

or if you are, say, a foreign immigrant who has lived there for about five years-worth of days
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...sh_citizen_through_naturalisation.html#l1f4da

or if you are "of Irish descent or of Irish associations"
Football supporter? Drink Guinness?

Applications are flooding in....
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/irish-passport-applications-brexit-eu-a7347291.html

"it emerged that at least 10 MPs and members of the house of Lords have applied for dual citizenship since the referendum."

 

[^woody^]

All the provo's have been campaign door knocking with a revolver handle.

Not forgetting all the valuable help the provos give to people who may not want to use their own vote, or can't make it to the polling station themselves. They are wonderful like that.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

Thanks John. I was aware of the possibility of obtaining an Irish passport, Unfortunately I do not meet any of the criteria.
But it seems strange that about 3.5 million UK nationals (twice the population of Ireland are entitled, and there are about 1.8 Million NI citizens) can be entitled to a UK and an EU/RoI passport. Whereas the rest are not entitled.

I cannot think of any other similar example. Perhaps this anomaly might be extended to Gibraltar and Channel Island, (and other British Overseas Territories) citizens?

Additionally, as this dual nationality is written in stone in the Good Friday Agreement, it will always be a backdoor to obtaining dual nationality, after a five year residency in NI.

(vi) recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136652/agreement.pdf
Alternatively, if Re-Unification ever occurs, NI citizens will always be entitled to a UK passport.